Filling Chips

[tobi]

I have a few chips on the hull I would like to fill. What is the best product out there and process for fixing this? Any replies I thank you in advance. I have a 2004 Ranger 521 in white.

[BASSCAT7]

Trying to match flaked gel coat colors is not easy. Best bet is to contact the boat manufacturer and get a pint of the exact color of your hull to make any repairs.
If they are not around, this place carries most matching gel coats for a lot of boat companies :

https://www.minicraft.com/retail/mckote.htm

Marine Tex epoxy putty comes in white and grey.


http://www.jamestowndistributo...Epoxy

Evercoat makes a complete kit for small gelcoat repairs, has everything you need in it.

http://www.jamestowndistributo...h+Kit

For smaller chips just use the gel coat and make a repair. For large gouges you can fill them with Marine Tex and then put a skin coat of matching gel coat on top.

If on the top cap it is pretty easy, follow directions on mixing the catalyst in the gel...if on the sides you'll probably have to build it up in layers. You can thicken the gel by adding talc powder to make it a paste type to get on hard to reach areas.

Clean the chip area real well, lightly sand the edges to remove any loose particles, using a Dremel tool, bevel the edges sloping into the repair area. Make sure there are no ledges.
Tape off the area around the repair.
Stay close to the repair. Make sure there are no tape ends in the sanding area. The purpose of the tape is to avoid a mess and protect the area around the repair from the sand paper.

Mix about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of Gelcoat in a paper cup with 5-7 drops of MEKP.
Stir completely. You will need a piece of waxed paper or cellophane or Mylar put over the repair to seal it off and help the curing as gel coat will not cure when exposed to air.
Just lay the wax paper directly over the wet gelcoat to keep air off it.

Build the gel a little over as it will shrink some, if you see any air bubbles pop them gently with a pin..........should be cure in 4 hours, but waiting overnight to sand is best.
If the surface is still sticky on top but the gelcoat is hard underneath, wipe off the tackiness with acetone so your wet sand paper does not gum up.

Acetone is also used for the cleanup ( fingernail polish remover )

Use a small sanding block and 600-800 WET sandpaper to get a smooth finish, keeping the paper wet, if sanding lines are still seen up the sandpaper to 1000-1200
If you see a shadow below the sand area you are about to go through the Gelcoat and into the glass and resin. stop sanding.
Once you get the chip sanded smooth you can compound and wax


If you use the Marine Tex to make the repair and want to put a skin coat of Gel on, just follow the instructions on the MT package. Once it has been cured and sanded smooth You will need to let it sit a day, then use warm water and a dish scrubber and wash the repair a couple of time with clean warm water to remove any amine blush that will come to the surface. Let it dry thoroughly and then apply the gel. This will help the gel coat to adhere better to the Marine Tex.